Tuesda , November 13, 2012 TechNews campus@technewsiit.com UTSAV GANDHI 7

 

Rock Climbing Club's Kentucky weekend visit

By Dan Zweig
STAFF WRITER

The HT Rock Climbing
Club, after planning for over six weeks with
Finance Board and the Oflice of Campus Life
went to Red River Gorge in Kentucky the
weekend of November 2, 2012 to rock climb
outdoors.

About sixteen climbers joined the
club for the weekend, which included eight
hours of driving there, one and a half days
of climbing, and an eight hour drive back to
HT. When planning an outdoor camping and
climbing trip months in advance you have to
cross your fingers when it comes to weather.
This time we were not the luckiest, but it could
have been worse.

For those of you who are not famil—
iar with Red River Gorge, it is one of the most
well—documented climbing areas in the coun—
try, with routes that range from extremely easy
to extremely hard, all on sandstone.

The best place to camp while in Red
River Gorge is a climbers’ destination called
Miguel’s Pizza. Miguel’s Pizza has no camp—
sites, just a field open for tents and a gravel
parking lot for cars and vans.

Climbers pay $2 per person per
night to set up their tent and have full access
to running water, restrooms, a $1 shower, and
most importantly, picnic tables at Miguel’s
Pizza. Miguel’s Pizza sells the most amazing
pizza any climber has ever had, and is prepared
with your choice of approximately 100 diIfer—
ent toppings. They also have soda, calzones,
breakfast options, and a small climbers’ pro
shop.

Four cars left at various times
throughout Friday afternoon and arrived
at Miguel’s between 11 pm. and 2 am. and
campers were all in tents by 3 am. At 8 am.
the group woke up to start cooking breakfast
on their camping stoves and was greeted with
30 degree weather and a nice, thick layer of
frost over the campsite. Coordinating 16 peo—
ple through breakfast and packing up to leave
took almost 2 hours, but in time the group was
on their way to Muir Valley, a short drive from
the campsite.

Muir Valley is a private climbing
area that is owned and operated by 2 owners
with volunteers and donations keeping it alive.
It costs nothing to climb there for the day and
climbers can enjoy some of the cleanest and
most well—kept routes in the Red.

Most routes are labeled at the base of
the climb with their name and rating and the
volunteers annually check up on the routes,
permanent protection (bolts and hangers), and
other aspects of it to make sure it is safe for
the everyday users. The weather was chilly and
had some spotty rain, but it was mostly a good
day for climbing and hiking.

Enjoying several diIferently rated
climbs in two diIferent walls in Muir Valley,
the group was able to challenge themselves
physically and mentally and even teach a few
new members how to belay and lead climb.
After climbing, the group returned to Miguel’s
and enjoyed dinner among dozens of other
climbers.

Sunday morning was similar to Sat—
urday, as the group struggled to get 16 people
moving, eating, and packing up all of their
climbing and camping equipment. The group
travelled to an area called the Gallery and the
Volunteer Wall, and got to climb some of the
best climbs in the Red, rated 5 stars by veteran
climbers, among some of the best geological
formations in the Red. Climbers returned to
Chicago in diIferent cars throughout the day
on Sunday, some climbing until noon while
others climbed until sundown.

Events like this are some of the most
memorable for HT students who are able to get
oIf campus into the wilderness, away from the
internet and the city for a weekend, and enjoy
some physical, psychological, and mental chal—
lenges that are completely unique from the HT
experience.

 

Photos by Dan Zweig